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Special Drabble Challenge: Halloween Audiofiction

This week, I'm holding a very special challenge here in TTB. The MerMuggles, who record the very popular audiofictions, would like your help! They are looking for some Halloween themed drabbles, written especially to be recorded as part of an episode to be released on the 31st October. Each of the MerMuggles wants to be part of this episode, so instead of picking one story, they thought why not feature lots of drabbles?

Your prompt for this challenge is very simply: Halloween!

It can be spooky, it can be scary, it can be whatever you want so long as it captures the spirit of Halloween. Also keep in mind that the purpose of this drabble is to be recorded and so try to ensure it is suitable for that. You can not include song lyrics for copyright reasons, and ratings/warnings should be kept to a minimum (and as always should be appropriate for the age range of the boards). Also, because it can be difficult to read things aloud when there are grammar/spelling problems, I would strongly advice asking a beta to read through any challenge entries.

I'm going to be exceptionally generous and give you a word limit of 700 words!

Your deadline is 11pm GMT on Tuesday 27th October (I realise this is a few hours short of being a whole week but time is tight as you can imagine!)

I will not be judging this challenge - it will be up to the MerMuggles to pick their favourite drabbles to record. As such, there will not be a first, second or third place, but the author of every winning drabble featured in the episode will receive five points. Winners won't be announced in the thread, but can be found out by listening to the Halloween episode when it is released.

Good luck, and please ask any questions in the Question Corner thread.

Adrian won a QSQ! Thanks to Minnabird for the beautiful banner. Click on it to read Stolen Magic - the story of the second wizarding war through a very different character's eyes.

Title: The Moral of the StoryWarnings: hints at character death, kidnapRating: 3-5 years just to be safeWord Count: 264

Major thanks to my beta, Becca. Thanks!

On All Hallows Eve, a murderer walks the streets, looking for his next victim. He walks along an empty road, occasionally passing children and their parents who are hoping to get candy. They aren’t right though, he thinks. She needs to be perfect tonight.

The murderer walks, on looking for the perfect child. He finds her after minutes of searching, standing in a fairy costume. He walks up to her when her parents turn away to talk to a friend.

“Hello, sweetie,” the murderer says in a sweet voice, “do you want some candy?”

“Yes, please,” the little girl says back.

“Come with me then. I’ll give you some candy.”

The girl looks back at her parents then back to the man. “Mummy and Daddy said that I shouldn’t go anywhere with a stranger.”

“Your mummy and daddy know me; it will be okay with them.” The murderer holds out his hand and the little girl in the fairy costume takes it. He leads her away from her parents.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“It’s just a little farther, sweetie; we’re almost there.” He pulls her behind a tree and out of sight from her parents.

She looks around and doesn’t see any candy. “Where’s the candy, mister?”

“There is no candy.” His voice loses its sweetness.

Before she lets out a scream, the murderer Apparates them both away.

The little girl was never seen again.

*

The moral of this story was don’t listen to strangers. It didn’t work for that little girl, so do you think it would work for you?

What's a Little Fear?

‘Well,’ snarled Victoire as she realised the door was locked from the outside and there was no wand to hand, ‘this is your fault. Utterly.’

Teddy Lupin popped a piece of confectionary into his mouth and smiled.

‘It’s the perfect night to be locked in a broom cupboard. Know any stories?’

‘How about the one where McGonagall and Filch find a decapitated Teddy Lupin the day after Halloween, and me saying, “I’m glad I did it!”?’

‘Mmm,’ Teddy grinned, ‘scary.’

She scowled at him, knowing that he was aware of how much he got to her.

‘You’re not afraid of me, Victoire?’

‘No,’ she snapped. ‘Not in the slightest.’

‘You know, there’s no one I’d rather be locked in a cupboard with in this place. Without wands…completely alone…’

‘You can wipe that look off your face! You barely speak two words to me each day.’

‘Glad you’ve kept count, love.’

Victoire cursed as she felt herself blushing and began pounding on the door.

‘Let me out, for the love of Merlin!’

‘You’re acting as if you don’t even like Halloween.’

‘I don’t. It’s a pointless celebration.’

‘We aren’t all lucky enough to be named after a real celebratory day. There’s no Teddy Lupin Day—’

‘Every day is Teddy Lupin Day!’ growled Victoire, falling down beside him in defeat. ‘And I hate that I’m born on Victory Day. It’s like being born on Christmas.’

She stopped when she saw that his face was suddenly serious.

‘Do you,’ he paused and then pinched his nose before adding, ‘do you think he liked Halloween? You know, with people maybe dressing up as wolves. Or what about her…she could have pretended to be anything.’

Victoire knew he was, of course, referring to his parents. She mentally kicked herself as she remembered her birthday was also the anniversary of their deaths.

‘It takes a lot to scare me,’ murmured Teddy. ‘Not people in costumes, not ghosts. Not spooky tales.’ He sighed and added, ‘there are more frightening things in life than that.’

Victoire bit her lip and whispered, ‘So you’re not a Halloween fan either?’

‘Well, Harry’s parents were murdered on Halloween…so that didn’t give me a lot of people to celebrate it with, see. My gran’s not a huge fan of dressing up.’

Victoire smiled at the mental picture and nudged him. ‘You don’t need to dress up; your face is scary enough as it is.’

‘Oh ho,’ he chuckled darkly, ‘the gloves come off, Weasley!’

‘Have you considered wearing a mask?’

They laughed for a moment, the tension easing away. All talk of the horrors of the past gone for the moment.

‘Truth is,’ breathed Victoire, ‘the things that have happened to us in the past hundred years…I don’t think any ghost story or Halloween will ever match in the scare factor.’

His godfather’s house already had a mysterious air and the Halloween decorations made it even more foreboding. But Teddy wasn’t afraid of any stupid bats in the attic, as he continued his exploration. Poking around where the last rays of sunlight barely reached, he crawled into a niche covered by an old musty tapestry. As he turned around, crouching low, the line of light that passed through the slit between the wall and the cloth disappeared… but Teddy wasn’t afraid of the dark.

Suddenly, he was aware of someone walking outside in the attic. He poked his head outside the tapestry, just a few inches, and saw her.

She looked like his Gran, but younger. And she saw him. A wicked smile came to her lips as Teddy sat as still as possible. The boards creaked as she approached.

Suddenly he felt cold fingers on his arm, and he was pulled from his hiding place into the air.

“More’s the pity, then you could be rid of that ugly human mug once in a while…”

Now it was Teddy’s turn to grin. “But I can,” he said, and he changed his nose into a wolf’s snout. She dropped him in surprise.

He ran to the door, but she leaped and caught hold of his ankle as he reached for the handle. She didn’t make a sound as she hit the floor, but her fingers felt solid around his leg.

“Come now, I haven’t killed you yet.”

“Wh..Why do you want to do that? We’re family, aren’t we?”

“I don’t know, ask your great-uncle Sirius. Oh, wait, I killed him.” She giggled maniacally, then suddenly appeared thoughtful. “That’s why I can touch you, though. Blood magic. Ghosts can’t usually hurt the living. Only their relatives, as if that’s a deterrent.” She let go of his leg and dangled him by the front of his shirt.

“Is that why you came here, tonight?”

“What? Oh no, I was just bored, so I rigged the draw for the All Hallow’s Eve earthly visit. Each year on October 31, 666 spirits are allowed to come back for the night. It’s chosen by lots, and considering that the Administration,” (she jerked her head upward in reference) “favors the vast number of dead people who put their name in to talk with their grieving spouses and whatnot, it’s hardly a fair cop for us free, unattached souls who just want to have a bit of fun…”

“Wait.” Teddy looked at her in astonishment. “You went to heaven?”

Bellatrix’ manic glee turned to annoyance at the question. “Don’t rub it in, do you know how terrible it is there? Everyone’s so nice, it’s sickening, and being made out of aether it’s impossible to hurt anybody. There’s Muggles and Mudbloods everywhere….”

Suddenly, a crash of thunder shook the old windows, and a shining figure with wings stood before Teddy.

“Bellatrix LeStrange.”

She dropped her nephew and put her hands up defensively. “I have every right to be here, I- "

The angel cut her off. “You are violating divine law by revealing details of postmortem existence to a living soul. Section 2-5.11 states that heavenly descriptions are limited to reassurance of health and happiness.”

He pulled out a pair of golden handcuffs and put them on Bellatrix in a flash.

“I’m sorry…uh… Teddy. We have a strict policy of maintaining divine mystery, and as such….”

---------------------

Teddy woke up feeling better than ever before, ready to get out his costume and eat more candy than he could stomach. He was disappointed when he learned it was November 1st.

Oh, I have no explanation for this. I actually started this for the Halloween contest... last year? two years ago? anyway, I realized I couldn't finish the story in 500 words, so I left it sitting in my computer incomplete. Then this challenge popped up with a longer word limit, and there you have it. This is the crackiest thing I've ever written... erm, yeah.

“May I have your attention, please?” Albus Dumbledore said, addressing the students as they finished dinner. “I have an announcement to make concerning the Halloween feast.”

The entire Great Hall became silent, all attention focused on the Headmaster. “I had an idea for a special treat this year,” he paused to allow the murmurs to die down. “This year, we are going to introduce what will hopefully become a new tradition. At our evening feast this year, everyone will be required to dress in costume. Now, I understand most of you have never heard of this Muggle custom. So I ask those with knowledge of this custom to assist the others in choosing an appropriate costume.” He looked around the Hall. “Halloween is Sunday, therefore, I am allowing a Hogsmeade visit tomorrow. I would like all Prefects to help those too young to visit the village in obtaining a costume.”

Without another word, Dumbledore sat down. It took only moments for the room to fill with the chatter of all of the students. As he watched them and their excitement, he just smiled. Catching Lily Evans’ eye, he winked.

*****

“Lily, are you sure about this?” asked James as he surveyed the costume he was wearing. “I mean, come on, wouldn’t this be a better costume for Sirius?”

“No, that is yours. Sirius has a special costume, one that is all the rage with Muggle men,” she answered, doing her best not to laugh. “I picked out these costumes for you since you couldn’t do it yourself. And why couldn’t you do it? Let’s see, landed yourselves in detention...again.”

“It wasn’t our fault, well...who would have expected Dumbledore to figure out we were behind the mass revolt of the suits of armour. We kept that one a secret...” James broke off and looked at Lily. “Wait...you knew,” he accused.

“James, I don’t pay attention to your little boy’s antics. I have far more important things to think about,” she said as she turned away to hide the guilty flush spreading across her cheeks. “Where are the others?”

“They’re coming. Sirius was having a problem with the stockings,” James said. “I just don’t think these are normal costumes for men.”

“They are. I am Muggleborn, remember. I’d know,” she said. Lily turned and called up the staircase, “Come on, you three, we’re the only ones not at the Feast.”

As the others came down the stairs, Lily could barely contain her laughter. “Okay, let’s go.”

The five of them made their way down to the Halloween Feast. They entered the Great Hall with Lily walking behind them. She knew it wouldn’t take long for her prank to be discovered. The doors had barely closed and locked behind them when James turned back to her. She was thankful Professor Dumbledore had decided to lock the doors once they arrived to stop them from leaving.

“Lily! No one is dressed in weird costumes. They’re all normal stuff like ghosts and Muggle witches and wizards. What have you done?” James whispered furiously.

Lily started laughing. “I picked the most appropriate costumes for each of you,” she choked out. “James you are, of course, a clown, which is fitting.”

“Remus is a bunny?” asked James.

“Well, think about it, what better than a cuddly rabbit for him? And Peter, I thought a cat was appropriate as well,” she answered smugly.

“Then why is Sirius dressed as a woman?” James asked. At Lily’s pointed look, James began laughing with her.

Silence fell across the Great Hall as everyone noticed the new arrivals. The laughter began softly and quickly spread.

“Ah, I see the last of our students have arrived,” said Dumbledore. He smiled at them and nodded to Lily.

“He...You...this is something you concocted with Dumbledore? Why?” asked James.

“Because we thought it was time the tables were turned on you,” she said sweetly.

“Well, mate,” said Sirius, “she got us good.” He started laughing and then began walking with an exaggerated swing to his hips to the Gryffindor table.

Remus and Peter decided the joke was perfect and followed behind Sirius, Remus hopping and Peter made purring noises.

Resigned, James took Lily’s hand. “Shall we?”

Terri Black (as in Mrs Sirius {aka Padfoot} Black) Hufflepuff Head of House

Tonks loved Halloween. Parties with Muggle cousins. Hogwarts feasts. The upcoming pub-crawl she and other first-year trainees planned to make an annual event. The celebrations changed over the years, but the “spirit” remained the same.

Fun.

Instructor Gulch didn’t share her enthusiasm, reminding her the day was still a training day, and dressing in costume was inappropriate. Tonks, who thought her fuzzy orange sweater, black miniskirt, and orange and black striped tights paired with combat boots seasonably fashionable, muttered, “Yes, ma’am,” and took a seat. She’d have to behave herself. Gulch was in a nasty mood.

Some resolutions were impossible to keep, and at the end of class her mates promised to lift a pint to her morphing brilliance while she remained to write lines in chalk on the blackboard.

Tonks was almost finished when she heard a sardonic voice.

“Imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery. You never learn, do you?”

“Snape and Gulch have challenging noses, I can’t resist.” She turned to see Edmund Blofeld, her former Advanced Potions partner, standing in the doorway like a giant crow. His beak was impressive, too. “Wotcher,” she said. “What brings a Forensics and Potions Division apprentice down to Auror Training? Did you miss me?”

He sounded grim. She tried to joke. “If it involves morphing and nude photographs, forget it.”

“It involves putting a zombie to rest.”

Tonks accidentally snapped her chalk in half. “You raised a zombie?”

Edmund looked down his long nose at her. “Of course not. It’s my friend, Samuel Endor. He was obsessed with Death Magic, and killed a few weeks ago during an experiment gone wrong.” He thrust a note at her. “He owled me this the morning he died.”

Tonks read:

Edmund,

I once thought cheating death was worth any price. I was wrong. I cannot undo the spells I have cast, I can only hope if my experiment fails you will go to my grave and kill me again.

Sam

“Samuel was born at 5:38 PM on October thirty-first,” Edmund said. “Therefore he will rise at precisely that date and time. We have less than an hour.”

She almost asked why he’d waited until the last minute, but his set expression told her he’d planned to do the job himself—and realised he couldn’t.

He said sharply, “Auror training includes this sort of spellwork, does it not?”

“Yeah.” But I never thought I’d actually use it. She said, “Are you sure it wouldn’t be better to have an experienced professional—or two—with us?”

“No. It would become public record, and Samuel’s family has been through enough.”

She hadn’t considered that. Tonks put down the chalk.

-
The London graveyard was gothic and isolated, like something out of one of her Muggle Gran’s favourite horror films. The sun had set, leaving the two lanterns flanking the headstone and the glowing tips of their wands to illumine the gravesite.

At exactly 5:38 PM, nothing happened. Tonks sagged in relief—and then jumped back when a zombie erupted from the earth.

“Oh, Merlin. Samuel, why? Why did you do it?” Edmund whispered, although he had to be aware Zombie Sam couldn’t answer. Only the body was resurrected.

It was Halloween, and it absolutely failed to be a dark and stormy night. It was, in fact, rather balmy for a night in October in western England.

Remy Hayes was rather disgruntled by this fact. Being too old by half for trick-or-treating (or so her mum said; she didn’t think fourteen was too old), she had been all set to watch the best horror movies she could find and get a good scare. But with a lovely day out and a bowl of candy right next to her chair she couldn’t quite work up the appropriate level of terror. This being the case, she set about trying to think of other ways to get scared.

She was stumped until she remembered the hermit’s house, right next door to sweet old Mrs. Waller. The kids called it the hermit’s house because, though they were pretty sure someone lived there, they never saw him. Well, except Jack Tanner, who reckoned he’d seen the old coot storming around in his back garden, but you could never believe what Jack Tanner said.

What a perfect plan! She’d sneak up to one of his windows, just to see if she could see him. Maybe there’d be an adventure in it.

It probably wasn’t healthy to court the hermit’s ire like that, but it was Halloween.

No one did anything healthy on Halloween.

* * *

Remy crouched against the wall next to the hermit’s front door, trying to get up the nerve to stand up and look in the window. Her entire body was humming with something very close to fear (Right! Perfect! Just what you wanted! she screamed sarcastically in her head). Finally she just bit the bullet and stood up –

- And looked straight into a face out of her worst nightmares. One eye was beady and endlessly black, the other was bright blue and rolling in its socket in the most alarming way. The man’s face looked like it had been cut up and sewn back together several times, and bits of it were missing. And worst of all, he seemed to be yelling at her, though she didn’t catch the words, because what happened next distracted her.

He wrenched open the window, poked a skinny stick through, and sent her flying across the front garden. She landed hard on the grass. Winded, her eyes widened as she saw the man (monster?) come out the front door and walk towards her. She tried to scramble up, but as she hadn’t got her breath back, this was sort of a wasted effort.

The man crouched in front of her and growled, “Never, EVER, startle an ex-Auror. Well, no permanent harm done...” Then he said some nonsense word, something like..."Obli"…

Why was she in the hermit’s front garden? Had there just been a cracking noise? What had made it?